Remote control system for railway vehicles



July 12, 1966 a. w. DAVISON ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG IA LS3 1.52 T

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REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 I20 CODE I20 CODE l- I I -L- 5'2 INVENTORS. G.W. DAVISON AND R.K. CROSS THEIR ATTORNEY July 12, 1966 5, w, pAvlsoN ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. IE. 422m LAA JOCODE INVENTORS.

BY CROSS THEIR ATTORNEY July 12, 1966 a. w. DAVISON ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. IF.

I80 CODE l 8 0 C0DE THEIR AT TORNEY July 12, 196.6 a. w. DAVI$0N ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 ODE IBOCODE l5 (")L 74 58 RNWCP INVENTORS. 6.W. DAVISON AND R.K. CROSS THEIR ATTORNEY y 1966 e. w. DAVISON ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet a F IG. IH

I 75 CODE SY/ CODE INVENTORS. G.W. DAVISON AND R.K. CROSS THEIR ATTORNEY y 12, 1966 G. w. DAVISON ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 v 37/ C0DE STEADY CODE I BX T2 3| BX (o-1 l n 0 LL. L use INVENTORS. G.W. DAVISON AND R.K. CROSS THEIR ATTORNEY y 1966 a. w. DAVISON ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 ILB -l --J RS3 i SIDING R T RMI SRHfi DECODING TRANSFORMER 0C3 INVENTORS.

L aw. DAVISON AND H BY R.K. CROSS CONTROL APPARATUS W FOR SWITCH Rsw THEIR ATTORNEY y 1966 e. w. DAVlSON ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 FIG. 2A.

RECEIVERS RC 3W DU 37'/2R MASTER DECODING TRANSFORMER MT AMPLIFIER OSCILLATOR AXLE DRIVEN FREQUENCY GENERATOR G AMPLIFIER INVENTORS. G.W. DAVISON AND R.K. CROSS THEIR ATTORNEY a. w. DAVl$ON ETAL 3,260,842

REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec.

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REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FQR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1960 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 FIG. 2C.

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LOCOMOTWE THROTTLE CONTACTORS IN VENTORS. G.W. DAVISON AND BY R.K. CROSS THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,260,842 REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Gordon W. Davison, Rochester, and Robert K. Cross,

Spencerport, N.Y., assignors to General Signal Corporation, a corporation of New York Continuation of application Ser. No. 74,821, Dec. 9, 1960. This application May 6, 1965, Ser. No. 454,248 22 Claims. (CI. 246-4) This application is a continuation of our prior application Ser. No. 74,821, filed December 9, 1960, now abandoned.

This invention generally relates to remote control systems for railway vehicles and more particularly pertains to remote control systems for governing the operation of railway vehicles, in two directions, on a stretch of single track between two control locations.

In many previously proposed systems, coded track circuits have been employed in a centralized traffic control system, commonly known as CTC, for controlling wayside and/or cab signals as well as indication and/or enforcement of maximum permissive speed limits for train moves over a stretch of single track between control locations, such as the CTC field locations. In such previous systems, the CTC system was utilized to provide switch control as well as signal clearing control in accordance with the desired train moves over the stretch of track.

It is generally proposed, in the present invention, to utilize coded track circuits for controlling the operation of unmanned railway vehicles on such a stretch of single track between control locations; i.e. actual control of the throttle and brake apparatus of railway vehicles in accordance with distinctive track codes transmitted to the vehicles, via the track rails, regarding the conditions in advance of the vehicles. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the unmanned vehicles being controlled are provided with automation equipment for automa-tically operating the vehicle throttle and brakes which is substantially the same as that disclosed in the copending application of J. Donald Hughson, Ser. No. 74,901, filed on the same date as the original application, Ser. No. 74,821, filed December 9, 1960 and having a common assignee. How-ever, in accordance with the present invention, this train carried apparatus invented by Hughson has been supplemented as necessary to provide full automated control of the vehicle brakes, so that such vehicles may be safely operated on the stretch of single track between control locations as provides in accordance with the present invention.

It is furthermore proposed, in the selected embodiment of the present invention, to then employ a centralized traffic control system, such as, the type disclosed in the US. Patent to W. D. Hailes et al., No. 2,399,734 issued May 7, 1946, for providing track switch control and to establish the proper direction of track coding in a track layout including a stretch of single track between passing sidings in accordance with the desired train moves over this stretch of single track.

In the selected embodiment shown herein, it is more specifically proposed to provide that certain track codes provide throttle control on the trains while certain other track codes control the braking apparatus of the trains. For example, in the selected embodiment shown, 75, 120 and 180 code rates are utilized for slow, medium and fast throttle applications respectively whereas 37 /2 and STEADY code rates are utilized for providing service and emergency brake application-s respectively. It should of course be understood that these specific code rates are chosen only for illustration and that both different 3,260,842 Patented July 12, 1966 and a greater number of code rates may be employed in practice, depending upon the extent of control required, without in any manner departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. As used herein, the term throttle is intended to include any conventional means employed on railway vehicles for controlling the amount of driving power developed aboard the railway vehicles.

A general object of the present invention is to provide for controlling the operation of unmanned railway vehicles, in both directions, on a stretch of single track between two control locations such as the field locations in a CTC system.

A further object of the present invention is to transmit advance condition information, in the form of distinctive track code rates in such a stretch of single track, which will act upon the brake and throttle apparatus of railway vehicles, so as to control the performance of the vehicles over the stretch of track.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide for reducing the speed of railway vehicles over restrictive track conditions such as reversed track switches.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawings, and in part pointed out as the description of the invention progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts, and in which:

FIGS. 1A through 1L (except that FIG. 11 has been omitted), when placed side by side, illustrate a track layout including two passing sidings equipped with apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 2A through 2C illustrate the locomotive carried apparatus according to the same embodiment of the present invention.

In order to simplify the illustrates in the drawings and facilitate in the explanation of the fundamental characteristics of the invention, various parts and circuits have been shown diagrammatically in accordance with conventional symbols. Arrows with associated symbols and are employed to indicate'connections of the circuits of the various relays to the opposite terminals of a suitable source of current for energization of such relays; and the source of current may be of any suitable characteristic for the purpose intended. The various contacts of the relays involved in the illustrations are shown conventionally as being in a lower or inclined position when the coil or winding of the associated relay is deenergized, and in a raised or horizontal position when the relay is energized; the contacts belonging to any given relay are shown connected to its coil or winding by dotted lines, and these contacts may be either below or above the illustration of the relay winding. The front and back contacts between which the movable contacts are operated by the different relay-s are shown conventionally as arrowheads and the movable contacts are ordinarily of the type which have their contacts pulled downwardly by gravity or by spring action. In addition, the reference characters BX and NX, shown throughout the accompanying drawings represent the terminals of an A.C. voltage supply and this voltage supply may also be of any suitable characteristic for the purpose intended.

Wayside apparatus Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a stretch of main track is illustrated which extends between siding L, in FIGS. 1A and 1B and siding R, in FIGS. 1K and IL. Siding L is connected to this main track by track switch LSW, in FIG. 1B, while siding R is connected to the main track through track switch RSW, in FIG. 1K.

According to usual railway practice, track switches LSW and RSW are provided with OS detector track circuits for detecting when a train is adjacent each track switch. For example, the OS detector track circuit for track switch LSW includes main track section LM1, in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and siding track sections LS1 and LS2. Of these, track sections LM1 and LS2 are provided with conventional track relays LMlT and LS2T respectively (see FIG. 1A), which are normally energized by conventional track batteries TB2, of FIG. 1B, and TB1 of FIG. 1A, respectively. The OS detector track relay L-OSTP, in FIG. 1B, is thus normally energized by a circuit extending from in FIG. 1A, through front contacts and 11 of relays LS2T and LMIT respectively, along wire 12 between FIGS. 1A and 1B, and to To provide OS detection when a train is occupying siding track section LS1, in FIG. 1B, crossbond CBL is provided in addition to the usual crossbonds (not shown).

Referring now to FIGS. 1K and 1L, track switch RSW is provided with similar OS detecting apparatus, including relays RMIT, RS2T and R-OSTP for checking the occupancy of main track section RMl and siding track sections RS1 and RS2. The remaining stretch of main track, extending between the right-hand end of track section LM1 and the left-hand end of track section RMl, is divided into a plurality of insulated track sections, designated in the accompanying drawings by reference characters S1 through S8.

Although the present invention is primarily concerned with control of unmanned railway trains, conventional trains (with engineman, etc.) may be required to utilize the track layout, and in keeping with this consideration, conventional wayside signals have been provided along the trackway. Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, wayside signals 1RA and IRB govern moves to the right out of siding L along the main and siding tracks respectively, while wayside signals 2LA and ZLB govern main line and siding moves respectively to the left into siding L. Similarly, signals ILA and lLB, in FIG. 1L, and signals 2RA and 2RB, in FIG. 1K, govern moves to the left and right respectively at siding R. In addition to the above, approach signals LAA and RAA, shown in FIGS. 1E and 16 respectively, provide approach indication, as will be described hereinafter, for trains towards sidings L and R respectively.

As mentioned above, the illustrated track layout is equipped for train moves to the right, from siding L, and to the left from siding R. This type of operation is generally referred to as station-to-station type operation. Since the illustrated wayside signals (IRA, lRB, etc.) normally control the entrance to and the exit from the illustrated track layout, the locations of these various wayside signals will be hereinafter referred to as the control locations of the system.

In selected embodiment shown, the CTC system is employed in the conventional manner: (1) to clear the various wayside signals in accordance with the desired direction of traffic between the control locations at siding L and siding R, through the medium of the usual signal clearing relays GZ (see FIGS. 1A and IL), (2)

to establish the proper direction of coding in accordance with the designated direction of traffic, and (3) to properly position the track switches RSW and LSW in accordance with desired train moves at the control locations of sidings L and R.

From the above, it is seen that, in effect, the CTC system designates one of the control locations as the entrance control point and the other as the exit control point, depending upon the desired direction of traffic. Once a direction of traffic has been thus designated between sidings L and R, track codes are transmitted from the designated exit control point towards the entrance control point utilizing a dependent type of coding; i.e. the code rate applied to each track section (S1, S2, etc.) is dependent upon the conditions in advance of that section. In the accompanying drawings, the actual development of the various track codes is performed by a plurality of code oscillators CT, strategically located at various points in the track layout.

Locomotive carried apparatus Speed Desired Code rate Designation Running Speed, m.p.h.

Slow 7 Medium 15 Fast 30 Referring now to FIG. 2A, the track codes are detected, in the track rails, by conventional locomotive receivers RC and are then decoded by conventional decoding apparatus, including master decoding transformer MT and decoding units DU to selectively energize associated code relays R, in accordance with the received track codes.

The unmanned locomotives also carry an axle driven frequency generator AG (see FIG. 2A) which supplies, as output, a frequency proportional to the actual speed of the locomotive. This frequency generator AG then is effective, by means of hi-pass filters HS, of FIG. 2A, to cause selective energization of a plurality of speed relays S (see FIGS. 2B and 20) in accordance with the actual train speed; i.e., a speed relay is picked up as long as the train exceeds the speed, corresponding to the numerical designation for the speed relay. For example, speed relay 288, of FIG. 2B, is picked up as long as the train exceeds 28 miles per hour.

This plurality of speed relays S is then divided into a plurality of speed range groups, each of which encompasses one of the desired running speeds employed in the selected embodiment of the present invention.

The selective energization of the plurality of code relays R then causes the proper speed range group to be effective to selectively energize a plurality of throttle control Wi-res TH, in FIG. 2C, for controlling the throttle setting on the locomotive whereby the actual speed of the train is maintained substantially at the designated desired running speed, as called for by the received track code. Referring to FIG. 2C, it is intended here that the energization of throttle wires TH I through TH8 respectively shall cause increasing application of the locomotive throttle by selective energization of a plurality of throttle contactors (see FIG. 20) through the use of the illustrated diode matrix.

Over-speed control is also provided on the unmanned locomotive by apparatus, including over-speed filters 0 F, of FIG. 2A, and over-speed relay C, of FIG. 2 B, which becomes deenergized, to initiate a timed service brake application, if the maximum permissive speed associated with the designated running speed is exceeded. The timing of such a service brake application is provided by timer T1 of FIG. 2B.

Timer T2 of FIG. 2B, is provided to prevent full throttle application to a locomotive getting under way and. to

As mentioned previously, the detection of a 27 /2 code rate by the locomotive carried apparatus initiates a full service application of the train brakes, which under normal operating conditions is suflicient to bring the train to a complete stop. Although the actual braking mechanism of the train is not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is intended here that the respective deenergization of magnet valves SMV and EMV, of FIG. 213 will respectively provide service and emergency brake applications on the train.

If for some reason the locomotive detects a STEADY code rate or a no-code condition, an emergency application of the train brakes results because of a deeuergization of magnet valve EMV. An emergency brake application usually indicates a malfunctioning of either the locomotive carried apparatus or the wayside equipment and thus, after an emergency brake application, a manual reset is necessary to release the train brakes.

Although the above discussion was concerned with apparatus for unmanned locomotives, it should be understood that conventional locomotives may be equipped with cab signalling apparatus to provide indication to the engineman in accordance with the various track codes employed in the selected embodiment of the present invention.

Normal conditions Before describing the operation of system, the assumed normal conditions will be discussed to establish a basis for such description. Referring now to the accompanying drawings, it will be assumed that no train moves have been designated by the control ofiice and that the various control location signals are therefore all at stop with the associated signal repeater relays GP, YP and YGP therefore deenergized. In addition, approach locking relays IRAS and lLAS, of FIGS. 1A and IL respectively, are thus normally energized, and these approach locking relays become deenergized when their associated signal IRA and 11A are cleared for train moves to the right and left respectively. It will be further assumed that no trains are present on the illustrated track circuits and therefore the OS track circuit relays OSTP are initially energized by the previously mentioned energizing circuits. Furthermore, in FIGS. 1B and 1L, relays LRWC and RRWC are deenergized while relays LNWC and RNWC are energized since it will be also assumed here that track switches LS'W and RSW are initially in their normal positions for straight line moves.

In the accompanying drawings, that track coding condition is depicted for the assumed normal operating conditions of the system; i.e. all control location signals at stop, no traffic moves designated, and no railway trains occupying the illustrated track layout. The code designations appearing in the accompanying drawings, above the various track sections S1 through S8, show the code rates that would therefore be present if the track code, initiated at siding R in FIG. 1K, is received at siding L in FIG. 1B. The development of the illustrated code rates will now be considered.

Code repeater relay IRCP, in FIG. 1K, is normally steadily energized by a circuit extending from in FIG. 1L, through back contact 13' of signal clearing relay lLGZ, front contact 14 of approach looking relay l-LAS, along wire 15 between 'FIGS. 1L and 1K, through back contact 16 of signal repeater relay 2RAYGP, back contact 17 of signal repeater relay 2RBYP, front contact 18 of relay R-OST'P, back contacts 19, 20, 21 and 22 of relays LFS, 8LH, SLFP, and ROFR respectively, and to This picking up of relay IR CP steadily connects the right-hand end of track section 38 to the A.C. voltage supply through transformer T1, full Wave rectifier R11 and limiting resistor LR l. This A.C. voltage supply delivers a constant frequency alternating voltage of a certain frequency, for example, 100 cycles, to the primary winding of transformer T1 from whence it is rectified, so that the voltage now applied to track section S8 is substantially a DC. voltage with a certain ripple of the frequency supplied by the A.C. voltage supply; i.e. section S8 is supplied with a STEADY code rate.

This STEADY code rate to track section S8 causes track relay lRTR, at the left-hand end of section S8 in FIG. 1], to be steadily energized through back contact 23 of relay 7LTR and limiting resistor LRZ, which in turn picks up the associated front repeater relay tlR FP by a circuit extending from through front contact 24 of relay l'RTR, and to It should be mentioned here that relay IRFP and the various other front repeater relays, utilized in the selected embodiment, are slow releasing type relays that remain energized as long as a track code is being received by the associated track relay TR.

Associated with each of the illustrated track sections is a decoding transformer D'T which has a relay H connected to its secondary winding. In the usual decoding manner, these relays H are picked up as long as the primary winding of the associated decoding transformer DT is supplied with an interrupted input; i.e. a code rate other than STEADY. Thus decoding relay lRH, in FIG. lJ, remains deenergized in response to the steady energization of track relay .IRTR, since the input voltage applied to decoding transformer D'Il, through front contacts 25 and 26 of relay lRTR and 1RFP respectively, does not induce a voltage in the secondary winding of decoding transformer DTl.

Code repeater relay 2RCP, of FIG. 1], is now energized at a 37 /2 code rate by a circuit extending from through front contact 27 of code oscillator 37 /2 CT, front contact 28 of front repeater relay lRFP, back contact 29 of relay 1 RH, back contact 30 of relay 7LFP, and to This interrupted energization of code repeater relay ZRCP then causes a 37 /2 code to be applied to the right-hand end of track section S7, in FIG. 1], by intermittently connecting track section S7 to the A.C. voltage supply through front contact 31 of the relay 2RCP, ilimiting resistor LR3, rectifier R2, and transformer T2.

This 37 /2 code advances to the left-hand end of track sections 7 in FIG. 1H, so as to intermittently energize track relay 2RTR at the same code rate, through back contact 32 of relay 6LTR. In addition to picking up the associated front repeater relay ZRFP, this intermittent energization of track relay 2RTR furthermore energizes the primary winding of decoding transformer DT2 first in one direction and then the other, according to usual practice in decoding circuits, through movable contact 33 of track relay ZRTR, so as to energize the associated slow releasing relay ZRH by a circuit including the secondary winding of transformer DT2 and movable contact 34 of relay ZRTR. This energization of relay ZRH now completes an energizing circuit, including its own front contact 35, for code oscillator 75CT in FIG. 1H.

Code repeater relay 3RCP is now energized at a 75 code rate by a circuit extending from in FIG. 1H, through front contact 36 of code oscillator 750T, back contact 37 of decoding relay 180DR, front contact 38 of relay ZRH, back contact 38A of relay 6LFP, and to It will be noted in FIG. 1H that decoding units DU and DU are connected, in multiple, across decoding transformer DT2 so as to energize decoding relay 180DR if transformer DT2 is energized at either of these two code rates.

The right-hand end of track section S6 is thus supplied with a 75 code rate which is received at the left-hand end of this track section S6 by track relay 3RTR, in FIG. 16. In addition to causing energization of the associated front repeater relay 3RFP, this 75 code rate energization of track relay 3RTR furthermore intermittently energizes the primary of decoding transformer DT3 and therefore causing relay IE to be steadily energized by a circuit including movable contact 39 of relay 3RTR, the secondary of decoding transformer DT3, and back contact 40 of relay SLTR.

Code repeater relay 4RCP is now energized at a 180 I code rate by a circuit extending from through front contact 41 of code oscillator-180CT, front contacts 42 and 43 of relay 3RFP and 1H respectively, back contact 44 of relay SLFP, and to This interrupted energization of code repeater relay 4RCP now causes a 180 code rate to be applied to the right-hand end of track section S5.

Referring once again to FIG. 16, the and designation adjacent the operating coil ROC of approach signal RAA represent the relative polarities of energization that are applied to operating coil ROC to have signal RAA display its green or yellow aspects. In response to the 75 code rate received by track relay 3RTR, the energizing circuit for the operating coil ROC of approach signal RAA extends from through back contact 45 of relay SLFP, front contacts 46 and 47 of relays 1H and 3RFP respectively, back contact 48 of decoding relay 180DR, through the operating coil ROC of approach signal RAA, and to through back contact 49 of relay 180DR. Thus, approach signal RAA displays its yellow aspect. Although any suitable type of wayside signals may be utilized in conjunction with the selected embodiment of the present invention, that type of signal is illustrated, wherein the aspect of the signal is dependent upon the polarity of energization to the operating coil of the signal.

The 180 code rate, in section S5, is now received at the left-hand end of section S by relay 4RTR of FIG. 1F, and results in the energization of relays 4RFP and 2H in a manner previously discussed. Code repeater relay SRCP is thus energized at a 180 code rate by a circuit extending from in FIG. 1F, through front contacts 50 and 51 of code oscillator 1841GT and relay 2H respectively, back and front contacts 52 and 53 of relays 4LFP and 4RFP respectively, and to so that the right-hand end of section S4 is also supplied with a 180 code rate.

Advancing to the left-hand end of the track section S4, in FIG. 1E, this 180 code rate causes relays SRFP and 3H to be steadily energized as is fully discussed above. Code repeater relay 6RCP is now energized at a 120 code rate, for reasons which will be discussed later, by a circuit extending from through stop contacts 54 and 55 of the approach signal LAA, front contact 56 of code oscillator 120CT, back contact 57 of switch correspondence repeater relay LNWCP, front contact 58 of relay 3H, back contact 59 of relay 3LFP, front contact 60 of relay SRFP, and to The 120 code rate now applied to the right-hand end of track section S3 advances to the left and results in the energization of relay 6RTR at this same 120 code rate.

In addition to completing the obvious energizing circuit for front repeater relay 6RFP, this coded energization of relay 6RTR also applies a 120 code rate to track section S2, through transformer T3, rectifier R3 and limiting resistor LR4.

This 120 code rate then advances, to the left through the remaining track sections S2 and S1, in a manner previously discussed, and causes track relay 8RTR, in FIG. IE, to be energized at a 120 code rate. Furthermore, front repeater relay SRFP and relay 8RH are thus steadily energized as a result of the code rate being received by track relay 8RTR. Referring to FIG. 1B, this energization of relays 8RH and 8RFP opens the energizing circuit for code repeater relay ILCP, in FIG. 1B, at their respective back contacts 61 and 62. It should also be noted, in FIGS. 1A and 1B, that the energization of relays SRH and 8RFP are two of the conditions that must be met before wayside signal 1R (see FIG. 1A) may be cleared for permitting a train to advance, to the right, from the control location at siding L.

If it were not for the assumption this coding initiated at siding R had made its way down to siding L, and, that relays 8R'H and 8RFP are thus now picked up, code repeater relay ILCP, in FIG. 13, could also be steadily energized by a circuit similar to that described for the steady energization of code repeater relay I'RCP in FIG. 1K. Thus, if it is now assumed that the coding from siding R has not been received at siding L, by relay 8RTR, both code repeating relays -'1RCP and LILCP will be energized and oppositely directed track codes would be simultaneously transmitted towards each other in that stretch of main track illustrated between sidings L and R. This obviously would give rise to an undesirable code fight. For the purpose of quickly resolving any such code fight that may result because of simultaneous energization of the above mentioned code repeating relays, certain code fight circuits have been provided in the circuit organization of the selected embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1A through 1L of the accompanying drawings, it will be noted that the wayside circuits to the left of track section S4 are substantially the same as those to the right of track section S5. Assuming now that code repeater relays 1LCP and -1RCP are both steadily energized at substantially the same time, oppositely directed 180 codes will thus be transmitted from the right and left hand ends of track sections S5 and S4 respectively, and will come together at the junction of track sections S4 and S5, in FIG. 1F. Consequently, front repeater relays 4LFP and 4RFP will both be energized. However, the energization of front repeater relay 4RFP opens back contact 63 of this relay and thus renders code repeater relay S LOP ineffective to transmit track codes to the right in section S5, whereas the similar energization of front repeater relay 4LFP causes code repeater relay SRCP to be steadily energized by a circuit extending from in FIG. 1F, through front contacts 64 and 53 of relays 4LFP and 4RFP respectively, and to This steady energization of code repeater relay S RCP causes a STEADY code rate to be applied to the righthand end of track section S4 which results in the energization of track relay S'RTR, of FIG. 1B, and the associated front repeater relay SRFP. As soon as front repeater relay SRFP is picked up, code repeater relay 4LCP is deenergized, by the opening of back contact 65 of relay SRFP, to prevent any code from being transmitted from the left-hand end of track section S4. In addition, code repeater relay 6RCP is now also steadily energized by a circuit extending from in FIG. LE, through front contacts 66 and 60 of relays 3LFP and SRFP respectively, and to so that track section S3 is also energized with a STEADY code rate. The reception of this STEADY code rate by track relay GRTR, of FIG. 1D, then causes front repeater relay 6RFP to be steadily energized.

Code fight relay LCFR, in FIG. 1B, is now picked up by a circuit extending from and in FIG. 1D, through front contacts 67 of relay 6RFP, front contacts 68 of relay ZLFP, along wires 69 between FIGS. 1D and 1C, through back contacts 69A of relay 7RFP, through front contacts 70 of relay ILFP, along wires 71 between FIGS. 1C and 1B, and through back contacts 72 of traffic stick relay RFS. As soon as code fight relay LOFR picks up, code repeater relay llLCP is deenergized by the opening of back contact 73 of relay LCFR, and the track code initiated at siding R may now make its way 'to siding L so as to energize relays SRTR, SRFP, and SRH, as previously described, for purposes which will become clear as the description progresses.

It should be pointed out at this time that the arrow on the windings of code fight relays LCPR and relay LBK represents the direction of current flow necessary to pick up these relays, assuming conventional current flow from to Generally speaking now, it is apparent that a track code, transmitted from the control location at siding R, will predominate; 1'.e. shut off any code from siding L; as long as it reaches track section S5, so as to energize front repeater relay 4RFP. However, if a code from siding L should be received by relay 5LTR, in FIG. 16, front 9 repeater relay SLFP would be energized to initiate the cancellation of any coding from siding R.

Referring now to FIGS. 1B and 1K, each control location is provided with a block relay BK whose energizing circuit extends from the control location to the approach signal which governs train movements towards the siding associated with that control location. For example, the energizing circuit for block relay RBK, of FIG. 1K, extends from to in FIG. 16, through front contacts 74 of relay 3-RFP, along wires 75 between FIGS. 1G and 1H, through back contacts 76 of relay GLFP and front contacts 77 of relay ZRFP, along wires 78 between FIGS. 1H and 1], through back contacts 79 of relay 7IJFP and front contacts 80 of relay IRFP, along wires 81 between FIGS. 1] and 1K, and through back contacts 82 of relay LFS, so that relay RBK is energized only if a code from siding R is received at the left-hand end of track section S6. Thus, for the assumed coding condition shown in the drawings, the above described energizing circuit for relay RBK is completed and therefore relay RBK is energized. Remembering now that the control location at each siding is also provided with a relay H (for example, relay 8RH) which is energized by a code from the other siding, it is apparent that these relays (SRH, SLH, LBK and RBK) can be used for indication purposes, as well as for performing certain other control purposes, and therefore dotted lines bearing the designa tion INDICATION is connected to the windings of these relays. For example, the dropping away of relay RBK will indicate that the main track between siding R and approach signal RAA is occupied, while the dropping away of relay 8RH will indicate that any part of the main track, between the left-hand end of section S1 and the right-hand end of section S8, is occupied. Referr ng now to FIG. 1K, it should be noted that the dropping away of OS detector track relay R-OSTP will open the energizing circuit for code repeater relay IRCP, of FIG. 1K, and therefore, the above mentioned relays RBK and 8RH will further indicate when the OS detector track oncu'it for switch RSW is occupied.

Before discussing the operation of unmanned railway trains on the illustrated track layout shown in FIGS. 1A through 1L, a discussion of the locomotive carried apparatus, of FIGS. 2A through 2C, responding to the various track code rates employed in the selected embodiment of the present invention will be set forth.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A through 20, that condltlon f the locomotive carried apparatus is depicted wherem a 37 /2 code rate is being received by the locomotive, and since this code rate has been previously associated with a service application of the train brakes, it is also assumed here that the train is at a standstill. The reception of this assumed 37 /2 code rate, by receivers RC of FIG. 2A, is effective, by means of code repeater relay CR, master decoding transformer MT, and decoding unit 37 /2DU, to selectively energize code relay 37 /2R. Repeater relay 37 /2RP, of FIG. 2A, is thus energized by a circuit extending from through front contact 200 of code relay 37 /2R and to Referring to FIG. 2B, relay EMB is normally maintained in its picked up position by a stick circuit including its own front contact 201, wire 202 between FIGS. 2B and 2A, and a plurality of front contacts of relays 37 /2RP, 75RP, 120RP and 180RP, connected in multiple. Thus, the aforementioned energization of repeater 37 /2RP is effective to maintain relay EMB, of FIG. 2B, energized by the stick circuit extending from in FIG. 2A, through front contact 203 of repeater relay 37 /2RP, along wire 202 between FIGS. 2A and 2B, through front contact 201 of the normally energized relay EMB, and to Magnet valve EMV is thus also energized, through front contact 204 of relay EMB, to prevent an emergency brake application to the train. It should be noted in FIG. 2B, that once relay EMB is deenergized to initiate an emergency brake application, manual reset push button MR would have to be operated before the train brakes can be released.

With a 37 /2 code rate being received on the locomotive, relay EPVR, in FIG. 2B, is deenergized to thus deenergize magnet valve SMV (to supply service application of the train brakes) and is furthermore effective to operate time T1 by a circuit extending from through back contact 205 of relay EPVR, and to timer T1. In the accompanying drawings, movable contact 206 of timer T1 is assumed to have completed its timing operation; i.e. has completed its movement from the dotted left-hand position, in the direction of the small arrow, and now makes contact with the right-hand contact 207 of timer T1.

Referring now to FIG. 2A of the accompanying drawings, oscillator OSC normally provides an output frequency which is high enough to be passed through any of the over-speed filters OF and thus causes an output from such over-speed filters OF to be fed along wire 208 between FIGS. 2A and 2B, to amplifier A1, and to thus cause energization of relay D. Such energization of relay D then causes a subsequent energization of its repeater relay DP by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2B, through front contact 209 of relay D, and to However, as soon as repeater relay DP picks up, oscillator OSC in FIG. 2A, is shut off by the opening of back contact 210 of relay DP which opens wire 211 extending from FIG. 2B to the oscillator OSC in FIG. 2A. This then causes relay D, in FIG. 2B, to be deenergized, which in turn deenergizes repeater relay DP and causes oscillator OSC in FIG. 2A to again provide output, along wire 208 between FIGS. 2A and 2B, to amplifier A1. Thus, in the initial conditions, relays D and DP act to dependently pulse one another.

The pulsing of repeater relay DP causes capacitor 212, in FIG. 2B, to be intermittently charged through front contact 213 of relay DP and results in the retainment of slow drop away over-speed relay C in a picked up position.

Referring to FIGS. 2A through 2C, all other relays are in their normal deenergized positions and timer T2, in FIG. 2B, is in its right-hand or reset position in accordance with the energization of the reset wire for this timer by a circuit extending to through back contact 214 of relay EPVR.

To further explain the operation of the locomotive carried apparatus of FIGS. 2A through 2C, it will now be assumed that a 180 code rate, calling for the maximum desired train speed of thirty miles per hour, is received by receivers RC of FIG. 2A. This 180 code rate is then effective, by means of relay CR, master decoding transformer MT and decoding unit 180DU, to energized code relay 180R in FIG. 2A. This energization of code relay 180R causes overspeed filter OF34 to be connected to the output of amplifier A2 through front contact 215 of code relay 180R. At the same time, repeater relay 180RP is energized by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2A, through back contacts 216, 217 and 218 of code relays 37 %R, 75R and R respectively, front contact 219 of code relay R, and to These various repeating relays RP are made slow releasing to prevent an emergency brake application from being initiated when changing from one code rate to another.

With the train at a standstill, relay EPVR in FIG. 2B, is now energized by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2A, through front contact 220 of repeater relay 180RP, along wire 221 between FIGS. 2A and 213, front contact 222 of over-speed relay C, diode D1, right-hand contact 207 and timer T1, back contact 223 of speed repeater relay 2,5SP, and to It should be mentioned at this time that diodes D1 through D3, in FIG. 2B, are provided to isolate the throttle controls provided by one code rate from those controls delegated to a different code rate.

As soon as relay EPVR becomes energized, the stick circuit is provided for this relay, including its own front contact 224, which maintains relay EPVR picked up as long as over-speed relay C is picked up and a running speed code rate (75, 120 or 180) is being received.

This picking up of relay EPVR also causes release of the brakes by completing the energizing circuit for magnet valve SMV of FIG. 2B, this circuit extending from through front contact 225 of relay EPVR, and to As previously mentioned, it is intended here that the brakes will be selectively applied (to provide service brake application) or released, depending up whether magnet valve SMV is deenergized or energized respectively.

With magnet valve SMV energized, and the brakes thus released, the setting of the locomotive throttle is successively increased to start the train in motion. As previously mentioned, timer T2 in FIG. 2B, is provided to prevent full throttle application to a train getting under way and such control is provided by initiating the timing operation of timer T2 dependent upon the picking up of relay EPVR; i.e. timer T2 is energized through front contact 226 of relay EPVR.

Assuming now that timer T2 has not as yet completed its timing operation, throttle wire TH2 in FIG. 2C, is energized to provide a certain minimum forward throttle application, by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2A, through front contact 220 of repeater relay 180RP, along wire 221 between FIGS. 2A and 2B, through front contact 227 of over-speed relay C, front contact 228 of relay EPVR, back contact 229, 230 and 231 of speed relays 328, 398 and 288 respectively, along wire 232 between FIGS. 2B and 2C, and through back contact 233 of relay T2P.

Assuming now that timer T2 has completed its timing operation, 50 that movable contact 234 now connects in FIG. 2B to wire 235, relay T2P is now energized by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2B, along wire 235 between FIGS. 2B and 2C, and to Wire 232 in FIG. 2C, is now connected to front contact 236 of relay T2P and causes throttle wire TH3 to be energized (to increase the train speed) through back contacts 237 through 241 of relays 10.58, 88, 65, 4S and 2.5S respectively.

As the speed of the train now increases, a point is reached where speed relay 2.5S picks up and causes throttle wire TH4 to be energized, through front contact 242 of relay 2.58 which further increases the speed of the train. Similarly, as the remaining relays in this group pick up, the locomotive throttle setting is successively increased until throttle wire TH8 is energized through front contact 243 of relay 10.55. Full throttle application is now supplied to the locomotive and causes rapid increase in the train speed.

As soon as the output from the axle driven frequency generator AG in FIG. 2A, indicates that the train has passed 28 miles per hour, relay 288 is energized, by means of high-pass filter HS28, and lowers the throttle setting by energizing throttle wire TH in FIG. 2C, instead of wire THS, by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2A through front contact 220 of repeater relay 180RP, along wire 221 between FIGS. 2A and 2B, through front contact 227 of over-speed relay C, front contact 228 of relay EPVR, back contacts 229 and 230 of speed relays 32S and 30S respectively, front contact 244 of speed relay 288, along wire 245 between FIGS. 23 and 20, through front contact 246 of relay T2P, and through front contact 247 of speed relay 48. Similarly, as soon as the actual train speed exceeds 30 miles per hour, speed relay 308 is energized and causes energization of throttle wire TH2, in FIG. 2B, through front contact 243 of relay 308, to further reduce the throttle application for the locomotive. It is expected that such energization of throttle wire TH2 will maintain the train speed at a constant 30 miles per hour in keeping with the desired speed, designated by the received 180 code rate.

However, if the train speed should increase to above 32 miles per hour, the throttle setting is reduced to idle by energization of throttle wire TH1 in FIG. 2B, upon closure of front contact 249 of speed relay 328. This then would cause the speed to be reduced to the desired 30 miles per hour. Obviously, if the actual speed of the train drops below 30 miles per hour, throttle wire THS would again be energized, as described above, to increase the throttle setting and thus increase the speed of the train back up to 30 miles per hour.

If for some reason the train exceeds its maximum permissive speed limit of 34 miles per hour, for the 180 code rate, the output from the axle driven frequency generator AG, in FIG. 2A, is effective to produce an output from over-speed filter OF34 and steadily energizes wire 208 between FIGS. 2A and 2B, to maintain relay D in FIG. 2B, steadily energized. This in turn causes repeater relay DP to be steadily energized and opens the energizing circuit between capacitor 212 and over-speed relay C, so as to drop this over-speed relay. It will be noted in FIG. 2B that the dropping away of over-speed relay C opens the above described stick circuit for relay EPVR, at front contact 222 of over-speed relay C, and relay EPVR is thus deenergized, to start timer T1 and deenergize magnet valve SMV to initiate a timed service application of the brakes. Furthermore, the locomotive throttle setting is now reduced to idle due to the energization of throttle wire TH1 in FIG. 2B, through back contact 250 of overspeed relay C.

After timer T1 has completed its timing operation, relay EPVR is once more energized, provided the speed of the train has been reduced sufficiently to return relays D and DP to their normal pulsing condition (below the maximum speed limit of 34 miles per hour), by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2A through front contact 220 of relay 180RP, along wire 221 between FIGS. 2A and 2B, through front contact 222 of over-speed relay C, diode D1, contact 207 of timer T1, front contact 251 of speed relay 5S, and to It will be noted in FIG. .2B that the dropping away of relay EPVR also causes timer T2 to be reset to its normal position and relay T2P of FIG. 2C, to drop away, and upon the subsequent picking up of relay EPVR, the timing operation for timer T2 is again initiated to insure that the throttle setting cannot now be increased past that value associated with the energization of throttle wire TH2 (see FIG. 2C). From the drawings and the discussion above, it is thus seen that timer T2 not only prevents full throttle application to a starting locomotive but also prevents high throttle application to a locomotive which has received an over-speed brake application.

With the train now travelling at the desired 30 miles per hour, in response to the 180 code rate, assume that the received code rate is now changed from 180 to 120, thus calling for a speed reduction to 15 miles per hour. Relay R in FIG. 2A is now energized upon reception of this 120 code rate and is effective to energize its repeater relay 120RP by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2A, through back contacts 216 and 217 of relays 37 /2R and 75R respectively, front contact 252 of relay 120R, and to Over-speed filter OF19 is now connected to the output of amplifier A2 by the obvious circuit in FIG. 2A, and because of the existing thirty miles per hour speed of the train, the output of the axle driven frequency generator AG, applied to amplifier A2, is effective to steadily energize wire 208 between FIGS. 2A and 2B. As mentioned above, such energization of wire 268 causes relays D and DP to be steadily energized so as to drop over-speed relay C.

At this time, throttle wire TH1 in FIG. 2B, is once more energized, to set the locomotive throttle to idle, by a circuit extending from in FIG. 2A, through back contact 253 of relay RP, front contact 254 of relay 120RP, along wire 255 between FIGS. 2A and 2B, and 

13. IN A SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A RAILWAY VEHICLE IN A TRACK LAYOUT INCLUDING A TRACK SWITCH, THE COMBINATION OF, A DETECTOR TRACK CIRCUIT SURROUNDING SAID TRACK SWITCH FOR REGISTERING THE PRESENCE OF SAID VEHICLE ADJACENT SAID TRACK SWITCH, CODING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE POSITION OF SAID TRACK SWITCH AND THE DESIRED DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID VEHICLE OVER SAID TRACK SWITCH FOR TRANSMITTING CODED INFORMATION IN THE TRACK RAIL PORTION OF SAID DETECTOR TRACK CIRCUIT TO BE TRAVELLED OVER BY SAID VEHICLE DISTINCTIVE OF THE DESIRED OPERATION OF SAID VEHICLE ON SAID DETECTOR TRACK CIRCUIT, AND MEANS CARRIED ON SAID VEHICLE RESPONSIVE TO SAID TRANSMITTED CODED INFORMATION FOR PROVIDING A REGISTRATION OF SAID DESIRED VEHICLE OPERATION. 